NAVSTA Norfolk’s Air Operations Department hosts STEM Day for local students

ByMassCommunicationSpecialist

2ndClassJosephT.Miller

NORFOLK, Va Naval Station (NAVSTA) Norfolk’s Air Operations DepartmenthostedaScience,Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) dayforstudentsfromtheLandstownHigh School Governor’s STEM Academy at NAVSTA’sChambersFieldMarch17,2023

The STEM day event was arranged by NAVSTA Norfolk’s Air Operations Officer Cmdr Ray Gambel The event allowed the students to interact with Sailors and see some of the day-to- day components of the command air operations department.

“Iwashopingthattodaywouldhelpreinforce learning objectives that the kids are learning in their courses,” said Gambel.

“They have a unique experience here where they can interact with Sailors who apply the same concepts they are learning in their jobs 24/7.”

Thestudentsarrivedat10a.m.andwere greeted by Capt Janet Days, commanding officer NAVSTA Norfolk, as they offloaded the buses

“IknowAirBosshasanamazingprogram setasideforyou, saidDays “WhatIwould like you to do is have very questioning attitudes What I mean by that is that I don’t care what the question is, if there is some- thing you’re curious about, something you don’t understand, that’s why Air Boss’s folks are standing by They are experts and they will explain it to you.

After the introduction by Days, Gambel escorted the students to the Air Operations building where they were split into groups, each going to a different location to learn about how STEM concepts can be applied to military operations and technology Some of the locations the students visited included the radar room, the air traffic control tower, the virtual air traffic simulator and the airfield where they saw C-2 Greyhound and E-2 Hawkeye aircraft.

“Icertainlythinkthatthismayhelpthem look at the Navy as a possible career,” said Gambel.“IftheyendupjoiningtheNavyor anyotherbranch,theywillnotbeabletoget awayfromtheuseofSTEM.Wearealways testing or experimenting with new things and we work in environments that present uniquechallengesthattheycanapplytheir STEM knowledge to.”

The event concluded at 1 p.m., with the studentsloadingbackontothebusesheading back to their school.

FormorenewsfromNavalStationNorfolk, visithttp://www.navy.mil/local/nsn/